On August 22, 2024, 71-year-old Averil Drew Cardwell was found GUILTY by a Dallas County jury on two counts of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child under 14. Cardwell was sentenced to LIFE in prison for continuously sexually abusing multiple children, including a 7-year-old victim at the time of the abuse. The first offense used in the trial occurred on September 1, 2008.
In 2014, a female victim, then 13 years old and a resident of Irving, Texas, reported to her parents that Cardwell had inappropriately touched her. However, during a forensic interview with the Irving Police Department, the victim was unable to describe Cardwell's behavior in detail, leading to no charges being filed at that time.
In 2022, Cardwell's granddaughter provided a statement that he had sexually abused her. During the course of that investigation, the victim (now 21 years old) was contacted for an interview. On September 20, 2022, a video recorded interview was conducted with the victim. During the interview, the victim stated that when she was seven to eight years old, she spent many nights at Cardwell's home with him, his wife and his granddaughter. Cardwell lived at the 1500 block of Upton Place in South Irving at the time and that's where the abuse took place. Based on the victim's testimony, a warrant of arrest was issued for Cardwell.
On January 25, 2023, the Irving Police Department released information about the case, seeking additional victims. At that time, investigators had identified four victims dating back to 1986.
During the trial, charges such as possession of child pornography were dropped, with the case primarily based on the testimony of Cardwell's two granddaughters for the sexual abuse.
Cardwell's linkedin profile says he worked as an IT Project Manager for American Airlines. Although Cardwell resided in Irving during the crimes, he moved to Cedar Hill in 2019.
The case was prosecuted by Ann Duffy and Kathryn Suggs of the Dallas County Criminal District Attorney's Office. The DA Investigators were Lorraine Resendez and Barry Maxwell. DA Victim Advocate was Yvonne Macias.
He has appealed the verdict but will remain incarcerated.
